Using Online Orientation to
Meet the Needs and Exceed the Expectations of Transfer
Students
Presented By:
Katie Granholm, M.S.
University of Minnesota Twin Cities granh013@umn.edu

• Why Online Orientation?
• What is an effective transfer orientation program?
• Considerations
– Programmatic, Key Players, Technology,
Logistics, Success
• Overview of U of M Online Orientation
• Lessons learned

• Increasing transfer student population
– One-third of students transfer during their college career
(1995-96 to 2000-01 NCES study)
• Patterns of transfer are changing
– “Swirl”
• Increased attention on the transfer student experience

• Charge was to develop and implement a program that achieves the following:
– Encourage a less prescriptive and more developmental model
– Provides options within the mandate of orientation
– Provides individualized attention to each transfer student
– Allows transfer students to make choices (whether we agree with them or not) based on their own experiences, interests and needs
– Strategically communicates with transfer students through print, web, e-mail, and one-on-one contact from March through the first week of class
– Provides a comprehensive, fiscally responsible orientation program

• Institutional commitment
• Alignment with mission of office and university
• Collaboration with college constituents
• Based on assessment of student and institutional needs
• Takes into account past experiences and future expectations of students
• Programs that guide students (not mandate)
• Provides options for students’ developmental needs
• Academic, social, and behavioral expectations interwoven through the orientation experience
• Inclusion of parents/guests
• Assessment and feedback is shared and used!

General Needs of Transfer Students During
Transition & Orientation
Transitional
Social
Campus Information
Financial
Academic

• Your office
• New students
• College constituents
• Departmental partners
• Parents and supporters
• Sponsors?
• Other?

• What are your desired outcomes?
• What are students looking for in an online orientation?
• Who can participate?
• When will online orientation be available?
• Who will provide and edit content?
• How does online orientation interface with other programs?

• How will the program be administered?
– Does this method align with desired outcomes?
• Theme and graphic design?
• Does an existing delivery method exist?
– WebCT, Blackboard, registration system?
• Do students need to log-in?
• Do students need to be populated into program?
• Who will have access?

• How will content be developed and edited?
– Is special expertise needed? Are there others on campus who can help?
• How will students be driven to online orientation?
– Promotion/Marketing
• Is participation required or optional?
– Do you need to track participation? If so, how?

• What determines success?
– Accomplishment of learning outcomes?
– How will success be measured?
– When will success be measured?
• What do you need to know?
– May be driven by stakeholders/campus constituencies
• What method(s) of evaluation will you use?
– Online questionnaire, paper form, 6-week follow-up survey, focus groups, usability testing, etc.
– Does the method of evaluation align with desired outcomes?

• 2 options for creating your orientation experience
– Full-day on-campus orientation OR
– Half-day on-campus orientation with advanced participation in online orientation www.ofyp.umn.edu/trstudents/beforeor/orprogram.html

http://onlineorientation.umn.edu
Username: tctrans
Password: really1snice

• About 70-75% participation
• Vast majority have high-speed internet connection- dialup connection not an issue
• 80% believe Online Orientation is a good introduction to the
University
• After one month on campus, 82% of new transfer students felt that Orientation (both online & on-campus) provided the knowledge base for them to be successful at the University of Minnesota.

Lessons Learned -
Additional Considerations
• Orientation leader training
– Infuse transfer concepts and issues during selection and ongoing training of orientation leaders
• Students transferring with less than 18 credit hours or less should have the option of attending first-year orientation.
• Continually develop and improve the new orientation model
– Encourage less prescriptive and more developmental programs
– Provide individualized attention
– Allow transfer students to make own choices based on own experiences, interests, and needs
– Strategically communicate with transfer student through print, web, e-mail, and one-on-one contact

•
Received technology-enhance learning grant of $10,000 to integrate video into learning modules
– Video will take the form of “student stories”, allowing new students to connect with current U of M students who were also transfers
• Colleges more confident with outcomes of Online
Orientation after receiving evaluation data
• Have streamlined on-campus orientation schedule, while still meeting the needs of all colleges and departments
• Offer online-only option for students enrolling in special degree programs
– Eg: College of Continuing Education, off-campus Nursing students, and Dental Hygiene students

• Washtenaw Community College: https://www3.wccnet.edu/academics/orientation/online/
• Carroll Community College: www.carrollcc.edu/orientation
• Portland Community College: www.pcc.edu/pcc/about/orientation
• Napa Valley Community College : www.napavalley.edu/onlineorientation
• Salt Lake Community College : www.slcc.edu/orientation/netconnect.asp
• Southern Illinois University Carbondale: http://www.soar.siu.edu/transfer/web/home.html
• Utah Valley State College: http://www.uvu.edu/orientation/gettingstarted/webstart.html

Some information was taken from a report entitled “Framework, Paradigm, and
New Transfer Orientation Program.” This report was prepared by Andy Howe,
Assistant Director in Orientation & First-Year Programs, 2005.